Transverse flutes and flute-type instruments, such as fifes and piccolos have been around for centuries. However, due to difficulties in sound production, these flutes present various problems for many people—including fingering and embouchure difficulties. The complex fingering on traditional flutes makes playing them problematic and even prohibitively so for the very young and other beginning players. A current alternative used in many elementary schools is the recorder (normally made of plastic with a built-in whistle mouthpiece), but recorders themselves present problems because they are blown vertically, presenting inferior handling to transverse instruments, and so do not afford a valuable introduction to traditional and orchestral flute-playing.
Various patented improvements have been made to recorder-type whistle flutes and other woodwind instruments in an effort to change the intonations and extend the ranges thereof. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,806 to Stavash, the device disclosed will change the intonation and pitch of a vertically-blown whistle flute by reducing the bore diameter. However, this device does not allow for any adjustment once inserted, and the instrument must still be blown vertically.
Likewise the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,060 to Ferron and U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,001 to Kergomard et al. reduce the bore sizes (at least in limited regions thereof) thereby changing the intonation of the instruments. However, these devices must be externally mounted on the instruments, and also the instruments must still be vertically blown.